On May 26, 2021, the well-known Chinese blog "Early to Know International Hotspots" published an article stating that during May, China had refused to accept phone calls from U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin three times. Placing the blame for the rejection on Austin, the article stated that he had requested to speak to the vice-chairman of China's Central Military Commission instead of the Secretary of Defense, noting that this "is a serious mismatch in rank." It added: "The 'insubordination' of the U.S. this time is [in] trying to engage in unequal diplomacy with China."
China, the article said, will not act like Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, who "bowed obsequiously" to Austin. "Secretary Austin regards himself as a big shot in China, but the Chinese side conveyed to him with their actions this time that he is not!"
Below is the article by the Chinese blog "Early to Know International Hotspots," titled "We Don't Buy it![1] China's Refusal to Answer the [Phone] Call from the U.S. Military is a Response to the Arrogance of the U.S.:"[2]
Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin (Source: Defense.gov)
'China Has Long Recognized The True Colors Of The U.S.'
"In recent years, the U.S. government has used its actions to clearly demonstrate to the world what arrogance, barbarism and absurdity are! Now everyone understands that the United States is a country that is not only selfish but lacking in integrity. In the past few days, the U.S. has once again played its tricks on the international stage, showing its ugly face completely. However, China has long recognized the true colors of the U.S. and has not been fooled.
"According to reports, due to increasing U.S. military activities in the sea area near the South China Sea, the U.S. requested to talk with the Chinese side to avoid 'misunderstandings.' U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin requested three times in recent days to talk to senior Chinese military officials. These requests were directly rejected by our side without exception! Due to China's refusal, the foreign media quickly pointed the finger at China, saying that China's rejection of the Pentagon's offer of high-level dialogue would complicate the bilateral situation. But is this the truth?
'If Anyone Insists On Blocking China's Peaceful Development, We Will Fight Back To The End!'
"China has repeatedly rejected the Pentagon's overtures because the U.S. Secretary of Defense requested to call the Vice-Chairman of China's Central Military Commission, which is a serious mismatch in rank. Following diplomatic rank protocol, the U.S. Secretary of Defense should in fact talk to the Chinese Secretary of Defense. However, the approach that the U.S. adopts to communicate with China bypasses that usual chain of command, and these latest U.S. actions completely violate standard diplomatic protocol. The 'insubordination' of the U.S. this time is trying to engage in unequal diplomacy with China. China has already thoroughly understood the evil intentions of the U.S., and it is inevitable that we should refuse the Secretary of Defense's call. We wonder if the Americans are foolish or just pretending to be stupid. The United States has completely ignored China now!
"The U.S. government is trying to use this underhanded trick to gain an advantage over China and control the right to speak. Because as long as the Chinese side refuses to make calls, the U.S. can exaggerate the truth and claim that China does not want to communicate with the United States. The responsibility for high level communications between the two militaries who have not spoken so far is placed entirely on China. The United States is shameless in the extreme, and it has not tried to get along with China from a position of equality. The Americans may have made a mistake here because China is not Japan. It is impossible for China to behave like the Japanese Prime Minister Yoshihide Suga, bowing obsequiously to the U.S. Secretary of Defense. Secretary Austin regards himself as a big-shot in China, but the Chinese side conveyed to him with their actions this time that he is not!
"It has been more than four months since U.S. President Biden took office. So far, however, the military leaders of China and the United States have not exchanged a single phone call. Although China will open its door to dialogue, we will never do so blindly! Whether it is the top-secret documents that the U.S. released a few days ago about past plans for a nuclear strike against China, or the current 'unequal diplomacy,' all signs indicate that the United States is exerting extreme pressure on China. We want to advise the Biden administration that the Chinese are not a pushover! If anyone insists on blocking China's peaceful development, we will fight back to the end!"
[1] During the March 18-19, 2021 U.S.-China talks in Anchorage, Alaska, which were described by Washington as "tough and direct," CPC Political Bureau Central Committee member and Office of the Central Commission for Foreign Affairs director Yang Jiechi, who led the Chinese delegation, said that the "Chinese people don't buy it." See MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 9272, Merchandise Featuring Top Chinese Diplomat's 'Patriotic Golden Sentences' At Alaska Sino-U.S. Talks Takes Off In China: 'The U.S. Is Not Qualified To Talk Down To China,' 'Stop Interfering In China's Internal Affairs', April 2, 2021; MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 9245, At U.S.-China Meeting, Top Chinese Diplomat Yang States: The U.S. Launches Wars, Whereas China Promotes Peace; The U.S. Should Stop Advancing Its Own Democracy In The Rest Of The World And Focus On Its Own Human Rights Record, March 22, 2021; MEMRI Special Dispatch No. 9249, Chinese Foreign Ministry On U.S.-China Meeting: Our Development Cannot Be Achieved Without CCP Leadership; The U.S. Should Have 'A Correct View Of China's Influence On The World,' March 23, 2021.
[2] View.inews.qq.com/a/20210526A094O900?tbkt=H&uid=, May 26, 2021.
